Visitors and locals will be able to enjoy 70 shows and 15 exhibitions during the month-long Fifth China Shanghai International Arts Festival, which opened at the weekend.

First-class artists and performers from across the world will put on a variety of shows to entertain Chinese audiences, Meng Xiaosi, vice-minister of culture, told the opening ceremony.

"The festival offers the Chinese artists time to exchange ideas with their foreign counterparts, and this will bring about more co-operation between these artists," she said.

In this sense, many insiders believe the arts festival is not only a festival for Chinese people but a festival for artists and art-lovers from other parts of the world.

Chen Shenglai, president of the China Shanghai International Arts Festival Organizing Committee, said this year's festival will have more performances and exhibitions than during any of the previous years.

He said this proves that the festival is becoming more popular among artists and performance agencies all over the world.

"Chinese painters pay a lot of attention to the Shanghai Arts Fair and the China Arts and Crafts Fair, which are famous as shows presenting the highest level of visual arts in China to the world. So Chinese painters all regard having their works displayed at the two exhibitions as a great honour," Chen added.

During the festival, the International Performing Arts Fair is expected to attract more than 50 performance agencies and companies from over 20 foreign countries.

Wei Zhi, vice-president of the festival Organizing Commitee, said: "The number of participants at the performing arts fair will increase by 10 per cent compared to last year."

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